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Robotics Industry Forum 2012: 10 interesting things that I've learned

I'm just back from a quick trip to Orlando where the decision makers of the North American robotics industry gathered under the umbrella of the Robotic Industries Association (RIA). Here are 10 facts that I found particularly interesting among all the keynotes, presentations and discussions heard at the 2012 Robotics Industry Forum.

2. Frito Lay wants to program their robots with an iPad

Who said that: Terrence Southern, Senior Supply Chain Engineer at Frito Lay Terrence brought up an interesting point: that the new employees entering the workforce grew up with computers and they see how they should interact with automation in a different way. Terrence, as like a lot (if not all) of robot end-users, really wants robot interfaces to become more user friendly in order to reduce the barrier for non-technical staff to use them.

4. Robotics Industry Association is rolling out its Certified Integrator Program

End users wanting to understand more clearly the capabilities of potential supliers.

Integrators wanting to increase the profesionalism of their industry and become able to benchmark themselves.

5. There are 300,000 people working in the robotics industry worldwide

Who said that: Mike Wilson, British Automation and Robotic AssociationThis is one of the factors related to robots create jobs. Expect this number to grow dramatically in the coming years.

6. US corporations and banks are currently sitting on as much money as the value of the Canadian GDP

Who said that: Alan Beaulieu, Institute for Trend ResearchWhat this means is that there is a lot of money available to push forward the economy. This is one of the various indicators that Beaulieu considers in coming up with the following statement.

7. 2012 will be another good year for industrial robotics

Who said that: Alan Beaulieu, Institute for Trend ResearchDon't have to tell you that it sounded like music to everybody's ears in the room.

8. Germany has 1.7 x more robots per worker than the US, 1.5 x higher labour cost and will expect an even steeper decline in its active workforce in the coming years

Who said that: Mike Wilson, British Automation and Robotic AssociationNo wonder the country is and will remain one of the hottest place for robotics in the world.

9. For the first time in its history, the new Chair of RIA comes from a robotic component provider

Who said that: Jeff Burnstein, president of RIAWhile introducing Catherine Morris from ATI Industrial Automation, they make tool changers and force-torque sensors among other things. Catherine is also the first women to occupy this position.

Overall, the vibes were very positive at the event. It confirmed that our mission at Robotiq of making robotic peripherals to enable the use of robots in high-mix applications is well aligned with where the end-users want to see this industry going. Want to know more about the different points shown above? Write a comment below and stay tuned to this blog as we'll discuss some of these topics in more depth in the coming weeks.

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Samuel Bouchard is President of Robotiq, a fast growing robotics company based out of Quebec City, Canada, that he co-founded in 2008. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and a bachelor in Engineering Physics from Laval University. He is also a regular speaker at international events on robotics technology and business.